A Sideline View of Match Day
Written by Neha Deo
March is always the time of year that is most stressful for 4th-year medical students. Not only do they find out if they are matched to their desired specialty, but they also get to find out where they will be living for the next 3-7+ years. Needless to say, this can be a very stressful process for them.
On the other hand, what if you’re a 1st or 2nd-year medical student? Does the match matter as much? Should you watch the match day stream that your school is likely sending out to everyone? Well, here is a short post on what the sideline view of match day can feel like, and why you should be interested.
First, let’s talk about match week. This is usually on the 3rd week of March. On Monday, 4th-year medical students will find out if they match or not. This can be a very stressful experience, especially if you find out if you did not match. In that case, medical students need to go through the SOAP process, where individuals are allowed to apply to unfilled residency spots. This can be completely different than the specialty they applied to. This process is informally called “scrambling”...and you can probably understand why.
On Friday, all 4th-year medical students in the US open an envelope or are sent an email telling them what program they matched to! Pretty exciting, right?
Well, this can be an overwhelming process. You may end up in a specialty that wasn't your first choice or at a program that you didn’t expect to match to. Here are some things I like to keep in mind:
1) Reach out to your upper classmates taking part in the match and provide support.
For many, a text message wishing them good luck can go a long way. This is a very stressful month for 4th-year students and any encouragement is appreciated. Sometimes it’s nice to ask how you can best help your 4th-year classmates, even if it's just providing baked goods for the day of.
2) The match list that the school sends out is important and may provide insight on specialties and programs that are reasonable to apply to
My classmates and I always like to look at the list and see where students are matched to, for the specialty that we’re interested in. This helps us get more information on realistic programs that we can apply to with a fair chance of matching. Additionally, for special circumstances like the couples match, the match list can provide more insight into the couples match experience and what programs can be realistic to apply to.
3) Meet with your 4th-year classmates afterward, and ask more about the experience of 4th year and going through the match process
Many of your classmates will be happy to talk to you about their 4th-year experience and which programs they were drawn to. Additionally, for 3rd year students, this can be an opportunity to talk about 4th year planning with students who have matched to a similar specialty to you. Some things I talk about are their research interests, what programs they were interested in, and their interview day experience.
4) Celebrate with your classmates!
Finishing 4 years of medical school is not easy, so don’t forget to congratulate them on their endeavors and wish them good luck in the future.
